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Departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, Jesus came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on the man. And Jesus took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers into the man's ears, and He spat and touched the man's tongue. Then, looking up to heaven, Jesus sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” Immediately the man's ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and mute to speak.”(Mark 7:31–37)
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. He spoke, and things came into being. He said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God's Word is powerful. God's Word gives life.
God's Word was the one thing that Satan wanted to attack. Satan said to Eve, “Did God really say…” Satan attacks God's Word even today. Satan will tempt us saying, “Did God limit marriage to only one man and one woman?” Satan will say, “Did God really want men to be the theological leader in the family and in the church?" Satan will say, "Did Jesus really rise from the dead?” Satan will say, “Isn't the Bible written only by men?” Satan will say, “Isn't truth relative?”
Again, if there is anything that Satan attacks even today, it is God's Word.
In the Garden of Eden, Eve listened to Satan. She ate the forbidden fruit. Then Eve said to Adam, “Eat this fruit.” And Adam listened to Eve's words, and he also ate.
The devil attacked their ears. Then, out of their mouths, came evil words. They lied. They blamed God and each other. Adam and Eve's sin affected all of us.
Who caused the man in our reading for today to be deaf and mute? The devil caused this man to be deaf and mute. Who is the cause of our suffering? The devil, through the temptation of Adam and Eve, brought suffering, sin, and death into our world.
The devil caused our ears, by nature, to be imprisoned and our mouths to be bound. By nature, our ears and mouth are closed off and calloused toward God. The impediment of our hearing also causes an impediment in our talking and praying. The noise of the world and the voice of Satan keep us from hearing the Gospel, and our speech back to God is slurred, garbled, and turned inward by sin.
What are you listening to on the radio, iPod, or Mp3 player? What kind of music is going into your ear and out of your mouth? I fear that much of today's music is a temptation to fall from faith in Christ.
We commit sins of the ear when we do not remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy and when we despise preaching and His Word. We commit sins of the mouth when we misuse the name of the Lord our God and when we curse, swear, use satanic arts, lie, or deceive by God's name.
No wonder Jesus looked up to heaven and “sighed”. Jesus not only sighed over the fact that the man in front of Him could not hear or speak, but He also sighed over the result of Adam and Eve's fall into sin. Jesus grieved over the falleness of creation. Jesus mourned over the ruin and the suffering Satan brought into the world and into our own lives.
We pray, “O Lord, open my lips.” Our lips which are, by nature, imprisoned. When God opens our lips, then our mouth will naturally declare His praise — declare what He has done. We pray, “Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord. Deliver me from the bondage of Satan. I cannot deliver myself. I have no free will to open my plugged ears or to loose my tongue. I have no power over sin. Nor can I raise myself from death. O Lord, only you can deliver me from the bondage of sin, death, and the devil. Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord.”
Those who brought the deaf and mute man to Jesus knew that only Jesus could deliver their friend from the bondage of the ear and the mouth, for Jesus is the promised Messiah. Jesus is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke saying, “In that day the deaf will hear” (Isaiah 29:18).
So, Jesus took the man aside from the multitude. Jesus doesn't want to make a show. This isn't for the TV and the tabloids. What Jesus does is so different from the so–called celebrity “faith healers” of our day. Jesus never sought celebrity. And he doesn't use the misfortune of others to draw attention to Himself. He is completely there for this man.
Jesus uses a bit of sign language. Jesus deals with this man according to his own language. Jesus takes his fingers and puts them in the man's ears. Then, Jesus spits on his fingers and touches the man's tongue. The One who participated in creation touches that which is broken. The Great Physician is at work. Jesus is “hands on”, not distant and removed. At one time, he even touched a leper. Jesus is not afraid to get His hands dirty.
Then, looking up to heaven, Jesus sighed. Again, He agonized over the fall into sin. Then Jesus said, “Ephphatha”, that is “Be opened.” Immediately, the man's ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed and he spoke plainly. This man was not only released from his physical ailments; he was also made whole in body and spirit. An exorcism took place. Jesus set this man free from his bondage to Satan. Jesus is setting him free from that hellish prison. Jesus shattered the chains by which the evil one held this victim.
But this freedom did not come without a price. You see, in order to release us from the captivity of Satan, Jesus must put Himself under that captivity. All the sins of the ear — listening to gossip and lies — were put on Jesus. All the sins of the mouth — cursing, swearing, lies, and words of unbelief — were put on Jesus. Adam and Eve's sin, the sin of the Israelites, the mute and deaf man's sins, your sins and mine were put on Jesus.
Jesus is a hands–on God, taking our flesh and sin upon Himself and dying upon the cross. Jesus' hands, which were once put into the man's ears, are now pierced. Jesus's mouth, from which once came healing saliva, is now parched and dry. Jesus asked for a drink, because there is no saliva left in His mouth.
This is your Jesus, covered with blood and crucified upon a cross — all done for you and for your salvation. Don't be offended. This is love: that the Father has sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for sin.
God's powerful words during creation were like the words “Be opened.” Jesus' words from the cross — “It is finished” — were like the words “Be opened.” Three days later, the words “He is risen” were like the words “Be opened.” Christ's victory on the cross and over the grave means that Satan has been defeated. Sin is paid for, and heaven is opened.
The words “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” are like the words “Be opened.” At your baptism, an exorcism took place. Satan was cast out, and room was made for the Holy Spirit. It is interesting to note that, in some baptismal rites during the early church, the pastor would put his fingers in the ears of the person being baptized and would say “Ephphatha”; then, he would put salt on the person's tongue.
Do you agonize over the Old Adam within you? Do you struggle against the devil's tempting words? Then remember that you are baptized. Christ's “Ephphatha” was spoken upon you. You are redeemed with the blood of Christ and washed clean in the waters of Holy Baptism.
The words “I forgive you all your sins” are like the words “Be opened.” This Gospel is put into your ears in Holy Absolution and in preaching. You are released of all your sin. Then, in Holy Communion, He touches your tongue with His body and blood. Jesus is still a hands–on God.
Jesus' words are always life creating and powerful. They always accomplish what they say. They remove sin. They cleanse the heart. They refresh and restore us. They bring to life.
Stanza three of our first communion hymn puts it this way:
Lord, Your words are waters living
When my thirsting spirit pleads.
Lord Your words are bread life giving;
On Your words my spirit feeds,
Lord, Your words will be my light
Through death's cold and dreary night;
Yes, they are my sword prevailing
And my cup of joy unfailing!(Lutheran Service Book #589)
Our text says that “they brought to Jesus a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment.” We don't know how many people brought their friend to Jesus. We don't even know their names. But they did a good thing. Brian and Laura brought their daughter to Jesus this morning. God's Word was spoken and powerful. Life creating things took place. She can't verbalize her faith, yet, but she is a child of God.
Bring your children to the baptismal font. Bring them to Sunday school and to worship. Come yourself so that you may hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest Christ's life creating and powerful Word. Bring your friends to the Divine Service so that they can see, hear, believe, and confess that in Christ there is the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus does all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak. He does all things well. He died upon the cross for your salvation, and He rose from the dead. He does all things well. His Gospel is preached. Ears are opened, and the impediment of our tongue is loosed.
Hearing and speaking went together for the man in our text. Hearing and speaking go together even today. First the ear and then the mouth. What you hear from God flows off your tongue back to God in prayer and praise. Jesus still does all things well. Our Lord puts His word into your ear, and then, your mouth shows forth praise in liturgy and by singing hymns. Your mouth confesses saving faith in Christ.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
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